Projects

Actual projects.

Projects supported and financed by the Rehabilitation for the Blind Foundation.

Realized projects.

Actual projects:

Access to Art – Right, not Privilege

To create preconditions for improving access of the young people with visual disabilities to the works of art and monuments of culture;
To promote the complete integration of young persons and adults with disabilities into society and to develop actions encouraging lifelong access to formal, non-formal and informal education and training for them;
To improve the skills and competences of those people, specifically young people in initial special vocational training at all levels.
To develop an adequate idea in young visually impaired people about the works of art;
To organize training courses addressed to visually impaired people with the aim to give them possibility to improve their professional skills in order to become cultural guides;
To give visitors to modern and classic art museums and exhibitions - art lovers and citizens of the involved territories, new understanding of the modern and classic art through the visually impaired person point of view.

Target groups:
- visually impaired persons – young and adults
- museum workers
- teachers, working with visually impaired children
- Universities’ professors and students – specialty Culture Sciences and Special pedagogic

Products:
• verbal cards, tactile diagrams, mobile models and suggestive products/music, verse, sound, prepared by sound-engineer on the audio-cassette/
• publishing a brochure: “National monuments of culture” in Braille;
• creation and updating of the web-site, making all materials available for the wide public;
• designing and realization of a net marketing campaign at European level;
• evaluation of the actions and results of the project.

Partners:
Rehabilitation for the blind Foundation
Camera Work – Italy
CEVAP – Slovakia
FUNDECYT - Spain

Starting date:01/11/2005
Final date:30/10/2007

Projects supported and financed by the Rehabilitation for the Blind Foundation:

 

  • project of Center for Rudimentary Rehabilitation of Newly Blind – Plovdiv for equipping a cabinet for Visual rehabilitation to the value of 3340 levs.
  • project of Bulgarian Association for training of visually impaired children with the aim of issuing the magazine “Training and rehabilitation of visually impaired” to the value of 4000 levs.
  • project of Daily Center for Rehabilitation of Newly Blind – Sofia for equipping a kitchen nook to the value of 15575,70 levs.
  • project of Daily Center for Rehabilitation of Newly Blind –Sliven for equipping with special devices to the value of 13000 levs.
  • project of specialized kinder-garden “Elitza” for equipping with special devices for blind to the value of 3001,59 levs.
  • project of Center for Rudimentary Rehabilitation of Newly Blind – Plovdiv for conducting a course for training of complex instructors for visually impaired people to the value of 1583 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 2250 levs.
  • project of specialized kinder-garden “Elitza” for celebrating  15 October – the International Day of the White Cane to the value of 318 levs.
  •  project of Center for Rudimentary Rehabilitation of Newly Blind – Plovdiv for conducting scientific – practical conference on the topic: “Problems of the rehabilitation of visually impaired people of the third age” to the value of 10705 levs.
  • project of Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Kazanluk for celebrating the 40-th anniversary of the establishment to the value of 1201 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv for buying special literature to the value of 690 levs.
  • project of School for visually impaired children – Varna for helping the education of the integrated pupils to the value of 14000 levs.
  • project of Stefan Nikolov Kabakchiev for special devices for blind to the value of 732 levs.
  • project of  Center for people with normal and heavy mental disorder – Pcheliste -  for special devices for blind to the value of 40592 levs.
  • project of Phono-library for the blind – Plovdiv for buying audio-cassettes to the value of 7200 levs.
  • project of the Bulgarian Association for training of visually impaired children for conducting scientific- practical conference on the topic of: “Partnership in the training of visually impaired people” to the value of 15000 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Stara Zagora for equipping a Daily center for rehabilitation of newly blind with special devices for blind to the value of 15000 levs.
  • project of Center for rehabilitation and vocational training of blind – Plovdiv for training of the Moldavian citizen of Bulgarian origin Valentina Rijkova to the value of 11042 levs.
  • project of the Rehabilitation for the Blind Foundation for conducting a symposium on the topic: “Problems of the present day about the professional realization of the impaired people in our country” to the value of 19255,23 levs.
  • project of Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Dobrich for conducting a course for netting to the value of 3040 levs.
  • project of Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Biala for visiting newly blind, motivating and directing them to rehabilitation, for buying special devices to the value of 5500 levs.
  • project of School for visually impaired people – Varna and Sofia for buying white canes to the value of 15000 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Drianovo for conducting a course for general rehabilitation of the visually impaired people to the value of 15000 levs.
  • project of the Bulgarian Association for training visually impaired children and equipping the resource center of the Department of “Special Pedagogics” of the Sofia University “Kliment Ohridski” with special devices to the value of 2800 levs.
  • project of Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Harmanli for conducting a course for Orientation and Mobility to the value of 6600 levs.
  • project of Bulgarian Association for training of visually impaired children with the aim of issuing the magazine “Training and rehabilitation of visually impaired” and buying white canes for the training of the students from the major “Pedagogocs of visually impaired” in the Sofia University “Kliment Ohridski” to the value of 41409 levs.
  • project of SUPZ “St Georgi”- for the reconditioning of cabinets for visually impaired people to the value of 130000 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 2250 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Drianovo for the training of Complex instructor of general rehabilitation of visually impaired people to the value of 6780 levs. up | top
  • project of Daily Rehabilitation Center – Varna for buying special devices for blind to the value of 2782 levs.
  • project of Daily Rehabilitation Center – Sliven for buying special devices for blind to the value of 10812 levs.
  • project of Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria - Dimitrovgrad for searching of newly blind and their directing to Center for Rehabilitation and Professional Training of Blind and the daily rehabilitation centers to the value of 25000 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria - Plovdiv for conducting of competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 18500 levs.
  • project of Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Gorna Oriahovica for training of instructor for Mobility and Useful skills to the value of 43297 levs.
  • project of Center for rehabilitation and vocational training of blind – Plovdiv for equipping of cabinets and expert estimation of building and repairing works to the value of 232 040 levs.
  • project of National Association of the Deaf and Blind in Bulgaria for starting the activity of the association to the value of 30000 levs.
  • project of specialized kinder-garden “Elitza” for celebrating  15 October – the International Day of the White Cane to the value of 4850 levs.
  • project of Daily rehabilitation center – Sliven for equipping a computer with talking program and training for the work with it to the value of 238530 levs.
  • project of Ivan Ganev for opening procedure for defencing dissertation for giving the degree Doctor of philosophy to the value of 150000 levs.
  • project of Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Gorna Oriahovica for carrying out home rehabilitation of visually impaired people to the value of 80000 levs.
  • project of School for visually impaired children – Varna and Sofia for transport costs of the pupils participating in a sport feast to the value of 30000 levs.
  •  project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast and expressive reading in Braille to the value of 40000 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 36000 levs.
  • project of Center for rehabilitation and vocational training - Plovdiv for conducting a seminar on the topic: “Modern rehabilitation and working investigation of the visually disabled” to the value of 300000 levs.
  • project of the Rehabilitation for the Blind Foundation for conducting the Second National Conference for Mobility to the value of  $20.
  • project of Daily Rehabilitation Center – Stara Zagora for buying special devices for the blind to the value of 299800 levs.
  • project of the Blind Union of Bulgaria for buying long white canes to the value of 130 levs.
  • Center for Rehabilitation of the Blind – Plovdiv – given free two typing machines.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast and expressive reading in Braille to the value of 62 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria - Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 36 levs.
  • Center for people with normal and heavy mental disorder – Pcheliste – given free four boxes with clothes.
  • Center for Rehabilitation of the Blind – Plovdiv – given free a copy machine to the value of 1000 levs.
  • Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Stara Zagora – given free clothes and food for needy members to the value of 800 levs.
  • Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Yambol – given free food for needy members to the value of 586 levs.
  • Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Dimitrovgrad – given free clothes and food for needy members to the value of 682 levs.
  • Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Harmanli – given free clothes and food for needy members to the value of 644 levs.
  •  Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Smolyn - given free clothes and food for needy members to the value of 946 levs.
  • Center for Rehabilitation of the Blind – Plovdiv – given free food for its clients to the value of 480 levs.
  • Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Haskovo - given free clothes and food for needy members to the value of 778 levs.
  • “Uspeh” the Blind Union of Bulgaria, the branch in Varna –given free food for needy members of the Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria –Varna to the value of 432 levs.
  • Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Kardjali – given free clothes for needy members to the value of 466 levs.
  • Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Sliven - given free clothes for needy members to the value of 240 levs
  • Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Vratza - given free clothes for needy members to the value of 452 levs.
  • Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv - given free food for needy members to the value of 432 levs.
  • Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Stamboliiski - given free clothes for needy members to the value of 288 levs.
  • School for visually impaired children – Varna – given free clothes and food to the value of 1320 levs.
  • School for visually impaired children – Sofia – given free food to the value of 1392 levs.
  • Specialized kinder- garden – given free food to the value of 96 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv -  for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 62 levs
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria - Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast and expressive reading in Braille to the value of 62 levs.
  • project of National Association of the Deaf and Blind in Bulgaria for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 62 levs.
  • project of Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Gorna Oriahovica – for conducting а round table on the topic: “The integration of the blind in the civil society”.
  • project of School for visually impaired people – Sofia for a printer and a head- stock for ink streaming printer to the value of 363 levs.
  • project of Basic Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Harmanli for an electric desk- magnifier to the value of 156 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria- Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast and expressive reading in Braille to the value of 70 levs.
  • project of the Rehabilitation for the Blind Foundation for issuing a literature collection with works by visually impaired authors to the value of 150 levs.
  • project of Bulgarian association for training of visually impaired children with the aim of issuing the magazine “Education and rehabilitation of the visually impaired” to the value of 550 levs.
  • project of Boryna Koskina for buying a printer to the value of 250 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 60 levs.
  • project of Home for social services “St Joan Turnovski” – Pcheliste for post- graduation qualification in pedagogics of the visually impaired by Maria Stoyncheva Atanasova – director to the value of 150 levs.
  • project of the Group for authentic folklore of the Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv for making a jalousie to the value of 94 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast and expressive reading in Braille to the value of 188 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria – Kardjali for promotion of the activity of the NCRB – Plovdiv and searching for and motivating members who need education to the value of 120 levs.
  • project of National Center for Rehabilitation of the Blind – Plovdiv for finishing the activities of the project “Social re- integration of newly blind people with additional injuries” to the value of 2320 levs.
  • project of National Center for Rehabilitation of the Blind – Plovdiv for providing two albums of audio- cassettes “The Bible” to the value of 95,96 levs.
  • project of National Center for Rehabilitation of the Blind – Plovdiv for realizing a project for vocational training in upholstery of visually impired people to the value of 10 000 Ђ.
  • project of Regional organization of the Blind Organization for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 120 levs.
  • project of National Association of the Deaf and Blind in Bulgaria for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 60 levs.
  • Project of National Center for Rehabilitation of the Blind – Plovdiv for repair of premises in the boarding- house to the value of 10 000 Ђ.
  • Project of the Rehabilitation of the Blind Foundation for imprinting the book of Ivan Kolev – Kolchak “Metamorphosis” to the value of 40 levs.
  • project of Bulgarian association for training visually impaired people with the aim of issuing the magazine “Education and rehabilitation of the visually impaired” to the value of 400 levs.
  • Project of the Rehabilitation of the Blind Foundation for the imprinting the book “The Bulgarian Organizations of Blind Yesterday and Today” to the value of 150 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria - Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast and expressive reading in Braille to the value of 179 levs.
  • project of National Association of the Deaf and Blind in Bulgaria for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 60 levs.
  • project of Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria - Plovdiv for conducting a competition for fast, skilful and safe walking with white cane to the value of 105 levs.
  • project of Angel Sotirov and Petar Staikov for buying airplane tickets for the participants with lectures in an international conference on the topic: “Vocational training of the visually impaired”- Moscow 7-9 October to the value of 900 levs.
  • project of National Center for Rehabilitation of the Blind – Plovdiv for realizing a project for vocational training of visually impaired in upholstery to the value of 20 000 Ђ.
  • project of Bulgarian association for training visually impaired children with the aim of issuing the magazine “Education and rehabilitation of the visually impaired” to the value of 400 levs.
  • project of the Rehabilitation for the Blind Foundation for the imprinting the book “The Bulgarian Organizations of Blind Yesterday and Today” to the value of 80 levs.
     

 up | top

 

Realized projects:

“Institutional consolidation.”

    Financing organization: Open Society Foundation – Sofia
    Amount of the financing: $3 000

 up | top

“Institutional consolidation.”

    Financing organization: Open Society Club – Plovdiv
    Amount of the financing: 1000 levs

 up | top

“Helping visually impaired people by the Regional Organization of the Blind Union of Bulgaria, Plovdiv.”
Packets containing food, shoes and white canes were bought and given free to blind and visually impaired people

    Financing organization: Open Society Club – Plovdiv
    Amount of the financing: $5000

 up | top

“Establishing a video- center for studying the international experience and documenting the Bulgarian achievements in the field of the blind rehabilitation.”
A bank of video materials in the field of rehabilitation of visually impaired was created. Assistance was given to the training of the rehabilitation teachers.

    Financing organization: Open Society Foundation – Sofia
    Amount of the financing: $3000

 up | top

“Making prerequisites for full social integration of the blind.”
Six regional clubs of the foundation were established with the aim of giving more effective assistance to the rehabilitation needs in the separate regions.

    Financing organization: Development of Civil Society Foundation
    Amount of the financing: 5846 €

 up | top

“Providing conditions for self-dependent and safe access to three institutions for blind and visually impaired.”
Making the environment and the surroundings of the everyday life of three institutions for visually impaired people with many clients proper to the needs of these clients through eliminating the architectural barriers and ensuring comfortable unimpeded access to them.

    Financing organization: Fund rehabilitation and social integration of the Council of Ministers
    Amount of the financing: 9353 levs

 up | top

“Establishing a model daily center for rehabilitation of newly blind people.”
A Daily center for the rehabilitation of newly blind was established in the city of Yambol and is now functioning to its best. The center is a model one for those existing up till now as well as for those that are to be established in the future in respect of educational and management documentary and material and specialist ensuring.

    Financing organization: FAR Program “LIEN”
    Amount of the financing: 10 000 €

 up | top

“Establishing a resource center for helping the rehabilitation of newly blind in the cities of Plovdiv, Sofia, Sliven, Varna, Stara Zagora and Gabrovo.”
A Resource center for helping the rehabilitation of newly blind was established and is now functioning to its best. Ten textbooks, reference books and brochures in the field of the rehabilitation of blind and visually impaired were worked up. The project helps to make prerequisites for overcoming the social distance to visually impaired people and helping their full integration in society.


    Financing organization: Open Society Foundation – Sofia
    Amount of the financing: $18 356

 up | top

“Providing the rehabilitation of newly blind in the country with resources.”
Four reference books for computer training of blind and visually impaired people and a textbook for Braille training of newly blind were worked up, imprinted and introduced.

    Financing organization: Canadian fund for local initiatives
    Amount of the financing: $5925

 up | top

“Social re-integration of newly blind people with additional injuries.”
The process of adaptation to the visual defect was speeded up and facilitated through education, psychotherapy and consultation the way it was managed with 75 visually disabled and their relatives. The visually impaired people acquired specific practical abilities to cope with the activities of the everyday life; their relatives acquired particular abilities and received consultations about the direct communication with visually impaired people.

    Financing organization: FAR ACCESS
    Amount of the financing: 44 445 €

 up | top

"Helping visually impaired youths and adults to choose a career - Training for parents and relatives."

The project addresses the needs for personal and professional fulfillment of young people who have become visually impaired during the last 2 years. The visual impairment of the young person is a problem of the whole family and leads to a psychosocial crisis. In order to achieve personal and professional realization the visually impaired person should pass through rehabilitation, adaptation, integration and acquisition of certain social skills. The family of the visually impaired person is one of the most important factors for successful rehabilitation. Development of self-confidence will for elaboration, the motivation for acquiring profession depends on family understanding. This is the reason why this project provides for training of parents and relatives who are expected to actively support their visually impaired relatives in their personal and professional fulfillment. Overcoming the young person’s visual problem and motivating him to acquire certain profession requires: new approaches in the systems and methods, career information about new and emerging occupations, possibilities for adaptation on the work place, creating opportunities for starting own family business. In this respect the project is directed to consulting and special training of the parents and relatives of visually impaired young people. The project intends to develop a new effective model for professional fulfillment of visually impaired people. The project steps are as follows:
    - Development of a program for training of counselors (parents and relatives), which includes trainings in communication without inconvenience, support and mentoring without usurpation, solving problems, psychological support;
    - Development of networks of supporting groups consisting of visually impaired people families;
    - Publication of the handbook Traditional and emerging professions for blind and visually impaired people;
    - Training and consulting for a group of counselors and consulted people (8 pairs), including distance learning;
    - Filming of short video materials “One day of…” for professionally well fulfilled blind and visually impaired people;
    - Building contacts with potential employers and labor agencies to present the abilities of the visually impaired young people;
    - Publication of a catalogue of firms and employers who have hired or are willing to hire visually impaired people;
    - Creation of a Web page including ODL-system;
    - Dissemination of results
The project as presented is to be implemented in 4 countries by the partner organizations.


Target groups:

    Parents or relatives of the blind and visually impaired young people

Products:
    A handbook Traditional and emerging professions for blind and visually impaired people, which will list the institutions for acquiring those professions; an employers’ catalogue for hiring visually impaired people; a video film for professional realization, specialized topics like overcoming psychological barriers, communication methods, making PR campaigns, etc. and the methodology of training the target group of counselors

Partners:

  • Rehabilitation for the blind foundation
  • National rehabilitation center for the blind
  • bfi Steiermark
  • Camera Work snc
  • CEVAP – Centre for education and consulting
     

    Amount of the financing: 326 508 €

 up | top

 Upholstery – suitable profession for visually impaired

One of the most important problems for the visually impaired is getting a suitable job.
From 2001 on Sonneheerdt International supports projects in the countries from Eastern Europe connected with the vocational training of visually impaired people. In Estonia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania and Finland centers for training visually impaired in upholstery have been established. Upholstery teachers from each single country have been trained. Interviews have been made and also selection of visually impaired to be trained in the newly founded centers. Duration of the training courses was no less then one year. At present there are about 30 persons fully completed the upholstery training courses. There is a new challenge arising before them – realization.
The main task of the project is that the training programs in upholstery of each of the countries be considered and made identical.
The other important tasks the project plans to solve are:
    - training of the trainers – identical requirements in each country;
    - making conditions for working practice after the training;
    - developing a strategy for successful communication with potential employers.

Target groups
    - Potential sending organisations
    - Potential receiving organisations
    - Final beneficiaries
    - Social partners

Products:
    - questionnaires, interviews
    - advertising materials;
    - organization of links between the partners
    - creation of Web-site and dissemination of the good practices on each stage of the project via Internet;
    - scientific publications in specialized media for disabled people;
    - scientific announcements at seminars and conferences on the problems of the disabled people;
    - work meetings with interested and authorized institutions;
    - dissemination of the products among the social partners – labor agencies, social service agencies, associations of employers; professional unions; organizations of and for disabled people;
    - press conferences, information and advertising materials for the media;
    - summary of the results and dissemination among national institutions of and for blind and visually impaired people in EU and CEE

Partners:
    - Sonneheerdt – the Netherlands
    - Tartu Emajoe School – Estonia
    - Lithuanian Association of the Blind – Lithuania
    - The Arla Institute – Finland
    - School for the Blind – Romania
  

    Amount of the financing: 49980 €